Which phrase best describes a Type & Screen?

• A. ABO/Rh typing and screening for unexpected antibodies
• B. ABO typing only
• C. Crossmatch required
• D. Antibody identification only

Answer: (A)

The main idea tested is what happens in pretransfusion testing: you first determine the patient’s ABO and Rh type and then screen for antibodies that could cause a reaction with donor red cells. A Type & Screen is exactly that mix—ABO/Rh typing plus an antibody screen to detect unexpected alloantibodies. It helps ensure that any future transfused units will be compatible, without actually crossmatching a specific donor unit yet. Crossmatching, the process that confirms compatibility with a particular unit, is done separately when a transfusion is going to occur. If the antibody screen is negative, compatible units can be issued with a streamlined procedure; if antibodies are found, further workup to identify them and provide antigen-negative units is needed.

So, the best description is ABO/Rh typing and screening for unexpected antibodies.